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The man “whose name was Job”. To the ancient Hebrew, this name already had connotation. The name ‘îyôb’ in Hebrew, is derived from the word ‘âyab’, to hate (Strong, H347 & H340). The name ‘Job’ indicates one who is hated or persecuted. In the book of Genesis, God placed a curse on Adam and Eve subsequent to the fall, saying, “I will put enmity between you and the woman” (Gen. 3:15). The word ‘enmity’ here is ‘êybâh’ (Strong, H342) and also derives from the root word ‘âyab’. Job opens for us so many windows onto the nature of the enmity between man and man and man and God that it is especially appropriate that his name means ‘enmity’ in Hebrew. The root word ‘âyab’ appears in only one place in scripture: “I will be an enemy unto thine enemies” (Exod. 23:22).
Interestingly enough, the name appears in two non-biblical fragments attached to princes, one from the region of Damascus in the nineteenth century B.C., and the other refers to a prince of Pella in approximately 1400 B.C. (Unger, page 694). This indicates that the name Job was in use in the region. The unflattering connection to ‘hated’ could be a latter addition, as Einstein is used to refer to an intelligent person. Alternatively, the Hebrew meaning of Job may not have applied in the land of Uz. We do not know what language Job spoke.
The NET Bible discourages putting too much faith in the meaning of Job's name: “There is little reason to try to determine the etymology and meaning of the name, since it may not be Hebrew. If it were Hebrew, it might mean something like ‘persecuted,’ although some suggest ‘aggressor.’ If Arabic it might have the significance of ‘the one who always returns to God’” (NET Bible, footnote to 1:1). The commentary by Stephen J. Vicchio has a more complete discussion of the name of Job (Vicchio, The Book of Job, loc. 1314-1555).
This introduction pictures a man of great wealth, both spiritually and physically. He has a large family, which was important to men of that time. The list of his holdings indicates someone who is the envy of all. We are told that Job was “the greatest of all the men of the east” (Job 1:3). It must be assumed that Job was a king or the head of a great tribe.
More than this, Job was a man who attended to his duties before the Lord with exceedingly great care. Job was careful to remain “perfect and upright” (Job 1:1). ‘Perfect and upright’ is not used in a theological sense (i.e. without sin), but in the sense that his actions are flawless in God's eyes. He made extra supplications to the Lord, just in case his children might have sinned in some way unknown to him (1:5). His children appear to be less serious than Job in that they are described as celebrating many festivities (1:4). His children are accused of being party people, but that is more than we can read into this passage.
In the passage which follows, we see that Job's righteousness has the attention of God. The LORD refers to Job as “my servant Job” (1:8). Others whom God calls His servant include Abraham (Gen. 26:24), Moses (Exod. 14:31), Caleb (Num. 14:24), David (2 Sam. 7:5&8), Isa. (Isa. 20:3), the prophets (2 Kings 9:7) and the suffering servant (Isa. 52:13). This is a powerful spiritual recommendation. God is delighted with Job. It is important not forget this. The afflictions that come upon Job are not punishment. Satan's response to God shows that he is well aware of Job's righteousness and very much wants to destroy Job's righteousness. Ezekiel ranks Job with Daniel and Noah as being a man of outstanding righteousness (Ezek. 14:14 & 20). And the apostle James commends Job's patience (James 5:11). Nothing Job has done would give God cause to curse him. Neither does Satan suggest that Job has done anything wrong for which he deserves to suffer.
The opening scene takes place in heaven where God is holding court. The “sons of God” (1:6), which must in this context refer to the angels, have come to present themselves (Barnes, note on 1:6). They are reporting on their activities and assignments. Satan appears as well. He has a specific purpose: “he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him” (Zech. 3:1; also Rev. 12:10). Notice that Satan is under God's dominion. He, too, is asked to report on where he'd been. Satan's report is evasive: “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it” (1:7). This phrase in Hebrew implies greater activity than the English translation indicates. The same phrase appears in Zechariah: “the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth” (Zech. 4:10, also 2 Chron. 16:9; see Barnes, note on 1:7). This Hebrew word shût is also used by Amos: “they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it” (Amos 8:12). Satan's answer takes pains to avoid revealing any information. Like a teenager who believes that vagueness will mask his real activities, Satan here seems to believe that a lack of report will hide his activities from God.
A similar scene can be found in 1 Kings where Micaiah declares this prophecy: “I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. And the LORD said, ‘Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead?’ And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ And the LORD said unto him, ‘Wherewith?’ And he said, ‘I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And He said, ‘Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so’” (1 Kings 22:19-22).
God ignores the reply, as many parents of teenagers do, and asks Satan if he has been noticing Job and proceeds to brag about Job like a proud papa! “Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man” (1:8). God is truly delighted with Job and tells Satan. Why? The literal translation of the above quote is meaningful: “have you placed your heart on Job?” (NET Bible, footnote to verse 1:8). Apparently, Satan has already been thinking of how to corrupt Job. Moreover the Lord is aware. Jesus must warn Peter: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat” (Luke 22:31, NASB). Satan is not skipping freely about, as he indicates, but is prowling about like a hunter looking for a chance to strike: “your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). While God is indicating great pleasure with Job, Satan believes that there is some flaw to Job's character which can be used to turn him away from God.
It does seem out of character for God to brag on Job, even if Job is exceptionally righteous. It is as if, when talking directly to Satan, God has shifted into moods that Satan can directly relate to. Or perhaps this is God speaking to the ages to come. God knows Satan's devices, and God sees what Satan sees. As we will see, God is about to put Job in the refiner's crucible, so Job can come to a place where he sees God face to face and clings to him heart and soul. There is a frivolousness, a nonchalance, in the dialogue between God and Satan. But, underneath, something serious is at work. Satan sees something in Job that he wishes to exploit. God is ready to allow Satan his chance, because God has His own plan in operation. God knows that Job will come through the fire refined.
Author John Lucas picks up this refrain, “Does Satan point out Job? Nope, God points out Job to Satan. My humorous response is ‘Please Lord, I have enough problems’. It is to be noted that God will point out to Satan our life–to afflict us–but He will not reveal to Satan the purpose of the affliction. This is why Satan conspired to destroy Jesus; Satan never sees the resurrection life on the other side of the cross” (Lucas, Job Kind of Affliction).
God says of Job, “there is none like him in the earth” (1:8). In her commentary on Job, Jesse Penn-Lewis remarks, “Does this not mean that he [Job] was the ripest, most matured and choicest servant of God among all who in his day sought to serve Jehovah in integrity of heart and life? And does it not imply that he was the one most fitted to be entrusted with the service of suffering, being chosen as a pattern of the ways of God in the ages to come for all His children in the furnace of trial?” (Penn-Lewis, page 21).
We will see that God wants to refine Job, to bring Job into a much closer walk with Himself. As a smith refines metal by passing it through fire, God must often refine us by passing us through great tribulation. In this case, the bearer of tribulation is Satan, but by the will of God. By bragging on Job's righteousness, Satan, who has obviously been thinking about this, immediately suggests that Job's righteousness is based on the many blessings of wealth and family that surround him. “Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land” (1:10). Notice that Job, according to Satan, has been protected and blessed by God up to this point. We assume that Satan has already been probing for a way in, to attack Job, but God has placed a ‘hedge’ or protective screen around Job, his household and all that he owns. This argument is not dead. Behaviorist psychologist Edward O. Wilson claims that Mother Teresa served selflessly, because she believed in an eternal reward (Yancey, Page 54). This psychologist believes that Teresa was self-serving after all. Take away the protection, suggests Satan, “and he [Job] will curse thee to thy face” (1:11).
God immediately accepts the challenge (1:12). We should ask why? There are two possibilities, God doesn't want to refuse the challenge, for fear of what? Embarrassment? Or, God has some other purpose. The first answer cannot be reconciled with the God of the Bible, so until someone presents a compelling reason to do so, I will disregard it. We will examine the latter idea, but first we must examine Job and his struggle with his sudden affliction.
Satan wastes no time in mercilessly destroying all that Job has. Calamity after calamity strike one on top of the other. The final culmination is the roof collapsing on all his sons and daughters who are instantly killed. Satan arranges this during a feast day, a time of joy and celebration. By piling on calamity after calamity at a time of joyful celebration, Satan hopes to overwhelm Job.
Those whose books are in order are not afraid when the auditor comes. Standing before the thundering on the mountain, Moses turns to the people to say, “Fear not: for God is come to prove you” (Exo. 20:20). But they were afraid. They had reason to fear for their hearts were corrupt. Before Moses returned the children of Israel were dancing naked before the golden calf made by Aaron's hands (Exo. 32). Job is being proved, but his books are in order. “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God” (1 John 3:21).
Job is remarkably composed at this incredible series of events. The oft quoted phrase, “Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (1:21), is delivered after a merciless assault from the Devil that has left Job threadbare and with all ten of his children dead in a matter of moments.
Job was a man of vast wealth. Imagine the wealthiest man you know suddenly thrust out on the streets with nothing to his name turning to God and saying “Blessed be the name of the Lord.” In these days of believing on God for riches, would not many of us turn away from the church, like the rich young man of Luke 18:18-23, if God took everything that we owned? And worse yet is the devastating loss of his servants, many of whom must have been trusted friends and all of his ten children. The devastation of the loss of one of my two boys would be a difficult and bitter pill to swallow. While I would like to image myself turning to God with Job's faith, I have a hard time imagining that I could do it so easily. Thus Job's relative calm indicates an incredible spiritual fortitude. It seems that God's faith in Job is merited.
I would like to add another dimension here, not because I wish to pick at Job, but because this will come back to haunt him. While Job has surrendered everything to God, he doesn't consider that there may be some greater good behind it. The apparent context is a contest between God and Satan. God, however, has a deeper work intended for Job. God intends to bless Job. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God” (Rom. 8:28). Oswald Chambers suggests that at this point it is not possible for Job to understand, he is therefore baffled. Chambers notes that, so far, Job is patient with God (Chambers, 1990, Page 21) prompting James comment on “the patience of Job” (James 5:11). By the time of his final speech, Job will appear much less patient. Patiently or not, Job will wait on the Lord until the end.
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